Transmigrating into the Prince Regent’s Beloved Runaway Wife - Chapter 88.1

Out through the gates was a sunken valley surrounded by mountains and covered by tall trees. Among the dense branches and leaves, if one did not lower one’s head while riding, one’s face would be cut by the branches till bloody.

“Six consecutive mountains create the river valley. The terrain is deep and steep, so if the cavalry is led into the valley and the incoming road is blocked, we can set up cannons and rocks at the top of the mountain to disrupt the opponent’s formation and kill them.”

Zhu Dong muttered to himself.

Meng Huan scanned the surrounding mountains, holding the reins tight. He did not take out the territory map for comparison in the rain, but his heart was familiar with the terrain, listening to Zhu Dong’s analysis as if it were nothing.

He understood all of this. Meng Huan changed the road and went to the top of the mountain. The rain penetrated along the woven rush raincoat to his ear and neck and slid down in wet watermarks. His hair was nearly soaked, and his clothes were slightly damp and stuck to his body.

Meng Huan looked at the bottom of the mountain, saying.

“This place seems like a kettle.”

Covered on all sides, only the outside of the city gate was relatively flat, and the city gate tower was tightly closed. It looked like a kettle with a tightly closed opening and a fish trap.

“Yes,” said Zhu Dong, “if the cavalry enters this plain, they will never be able to run away. We have to find out now if the ‘kettle’ has any leaks; if not, when we seal off the enemy’s avenue of retreat and strike hard, they will still be able to escape if they have someone to come in and support them.”

Zhu Dong was a strategist; the more he said, the more excited he got. “Look, if we hold the entrance to the valley, they won’t be able to get away after they come in. After we seal off their retreat and strike them hard, they will surely die!”

Meng Huan stepped on his feet and looked down.

The ground was wet and slippery; when it was stepped on, gravel fell into the deep valley, making a thumping sound.

Because of the heavy rain, Meng Huan’s forehead was wet, his dark hair stuck to his fair ear and neck, and his eyes were indistinguishable because of sweat or rain, dark and bright, looking down the mountain.

He tried to ask, “So, this one will be the route of the Jurchen’s attack?”

“It’s possible,” Zhu Dong said.

Meng Huan’s fingertips wandered along an overlapped mountain line. “Then this one is the reinforcement route. The other side will become a lone army if we grasp the valley entrance and prevent the enemy from passing.”

Unable to reinforce, the primary attacking army would be desperate and killed altogether.

“This is their escape route.” Meng Huan’s finger continued to point. “If we guard the valley entrance again, they will be in full disarray when they escape. Then we will bombard them with heavy artillery at the top of the hill. They will be caught off guard, and many more will die.”

Zhu Dong’s eyes sank deeper as well.

“This place is a hell gate for the cavalry. The prince is wise to choose this city. I am far inferior to the prince.”

“……”

The rain grew heavier. Meng Huan’s fingers pressed on his hat, his dark eyes looked at the foot of the mountain, and a divine light suddenly appeared in his head. “Then if there is a small road that we did not find, and we forget to set up a military defense there, when the fight comes up, the enemy army will burst in through the small road, and it will cause a reversal of the battle–”

Meng Huan’s speculation did not finish when the voice of the Yuanwailang sounded behind them. “Have you two finished looking at it?”

There was not much warmth in his words. He was a bit old, standing in the rain and shivering, and his face was blue. “If you’re done looking, why don’t we return to the house?”

“Are there other mountain roads?” Meng Huan asked.

The Yuanwailang was tired. “No, all of them are recorded on the territory map. This official has looked at them all, and there is no discrepancy.”

His words sounded a bit ingenuine. “Even if we don’t go out today, there is no problem. Hahaha, of course, our hearts will feel more at ease if we come out to take a look.”

Maybe because the rain was too heavy, people were discouraged and only wanted to return to the city early; the horses also impatiently kicked backward.

Meng Huan stepped on the rainwater and walked forward; the water in his cloth shoes shrieked. He lowered his head and straightened his robe, and only when he looked up did he realize that someone was missing. “Where’s Li-Fulang?”

The Yuanwailang did not care much. “Li-Fulang heard the sound of running water just now and went to the back of the mountain to see.”

“Did he go there? I will go over to see—”

Meng Huan bowed his head, fiddling with his clothes.

Hearing these words, the Yuanwailang yawned and lazily asked, “The two young gentlemen and Li-Fulang don’t seem to get along, huh?”

“……” Not expecting him to talk about this, Meng Huan paused in his footsteps, scratching his head awkwardly. “Why do you ask…… “

The Yuanwailang laughed and said, “You two youngsters, do not underestimate Li-Fulang. Although he is not the prince’s people, he is from a Feng shui* geomancy clan, looking at mountains and rivers generation after generation, he is more experienced in this field. But based on the Three Religions and Nine Schools*, Li-Fulang comes from a lowly background. He relied on Elder Cui to promote him. Otherwise, he would have spent his life in the village reading people’s bones as a palmist. Therefore, he felt gratitude toward Elder Cui for helping him and did not have a good attitude toward us.”

*Feng shui: sometimes called Chinese geomancy, is an ancient Chinese traditional practice that claims to use energy forces to harmonize individuals with their surrounding environment.

*The Three Religions (Daoism, Confucianism, Buddhism) and Nine Schools (Confucians, Daoists, Yin-Yang, Legalists, Logicians, Mohists, Political Strategists, Eclectics, Agriculturists) generally refer to a division of occupation, status, and class identity in feudal society.

He said after a pause, “You should not be too hard on him. The prince has said that employing someone isn’t based on their identity. Li-Fulang has a sharp eye for landscape, and as long as he nods, there will be no problem with the territory map. Since we work together, we have to understand each other.”

…… In his eyes, if he had to go out to look at the territory map, it was as if he was squabbling with Li-Fulang.

Meng Huan was silent, somewhat unsure of what to say.

“Aigoo, Li-Fulang! What happened?”

The Yuanwailang’s voice suddenly changed.

Meng Huan turned around casually. A black figure supported someone over, walking with drooped shoulders. The man who came was drenched, and his knees and robes were stained with muddy water, filthy.

The boy said, “My lord climbed a high rock just now and fell!”

“I’m okay……”

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